Jiraiya's eye twitched; he swore that if he ever treated anyone to a meal again, he'd be a toad and never find a wife.
"Um, Orochimaru, look, can you… help me out?"
Jiraiya, left with no choice, could only look to his last hope. Although he and Orochimaru were often at odds, they were also comrades who had faced life and death together, bound by an unbreakable bond. Lending some money should be no big deal.
"Heh heh, I recently bought some new equipment and ran out of money. You'd better stay and wash dishes yourself."
It was rare for Orochimaru to see Jiraiya humble himself. If he didn't mock him properly, it wouldn't be fair to their decades of camaraderie.
"Hmph! Don't think I have no options just because you won't lend to me! Minato, come here!"
Jiraiya summoned a communication toad and had it inform Minato to come to his rescue. This was the advantage of having a good disciple.
At this moment, at Minato's house, Minato Namikaze was preparing a loving dinner for his gentle and considerate girlfriend.
It had to be said, Minato had an overwhelming domestic aura. Although he was forced into it, he wore a smile, as if he was doing it willingly.
This feeling is probably only understood by men from Sichuan and Chongqing, who marry a Sichuan-Chongqing little tyrant and experience a life of being a wronged party.
Ling felt that when Kishimoto, that old scumbag, designed the characters of Minato and Kushina, he must have been on a business trip in Sichuan and Chongqing. Otherwise, why would Kushina's hair be the color of a hot pot?
Just as Minato was about to take the dishes off the stove, with a bang, a puff of smoke exploded.
A small, green-skinned toad appeared on the stovetop, attracting the attention of Minato and Kushina.
"Minato, Jiraiya is in danger! Please go to his rescue immediately, and bring enough money."
After speaking, the communication toad returned to Mount Myōboku, leaving Minato and Kushina looking at each other.
"Minato, what happened to that old pervert? Does he need you to rescue him?"
Kushina constantly reminded Minato to stay away from that old lecher, to befriend worthy officials and keep scoundrels at a distance, but at this moment, she was also a little worried about Jiraiya's predicament.
"It should be fine. I sensed that the Flying Thunder God Kunai I gave to Jiraiya-sensei is within Konoha Village."
Minato rubbed the back of his head and said with a smile. He understood his teacher too well; asking him to bring money naturally meant asking him to pay the bill.
"Hmph! That old liar, what danger could there be in Konoha Village? And asking to bring money, how inexplicable."
Kushina sat back on the sofa, her tone disdainful, muttering incessantly like a chanting monk. Even the Nine-Tailed, who was currently tied up, put its ears down, not wanting to listen to this irritable woman's nagging.
"Haha, well, Kushina, wait a moment. I'll go see what's happening with sensei."
Minato picked up his wallet and used Flying Thunder God directly to the barbecue restaurant, where he saw Jiraiya waiting anxiously.
"Minato, you've finally arrived! Sensei didn't check the almanac before leaving today. I invited people to eat and encountered two tyrants. I'm a bit short on cash right now, so could you cover me, sensei?"
The moment Jiraiya saw Minato, he felt as if he had seen an angel, instantly relaxing and patting Minato's shoulder.
When Minato heard "tyrants," he couldn't help but think of Kushina at home. He shook his head to discard such rebellious thoughts, and then he saw Tsunade and Ling.
"Orochimaru-senpai, Tsunade-senpai, and Ling, good evening."
Minato greeted them. Seeing Tsunade and Ling, who were both full and lounging like Ge You, he felt that Jiraiya-sensei's downfall was not unwarranted.
If his girlfriend were also present, the barbecue restaurant's ingredients would probably all be eaten.
"It's Minato. Long time no see. It's just that you're about to be scammed by that stinky toad again."
Orochimaru's lips curled into a smile as he carefully observed Minato. He indeed felt that Minato's strength had reached the Hokage-level, no wonder the Third Hokage wanted him to be the Fourth Hokage.
"Burp~~! Minato is paying again? Jiraiya is truly something else, using his disciple's money."
Tsunade was purely envious that Jiraiya had such a disciple who could lend him money anytime, unlike herself, who was even managed by a ten-year-old girl and couldn't gamble to her heart's content.
"Minato-senpai, I'm truly sorry; I have to make you spend money again."
Although Ling said she was sorry, her eyes clearly showed she was looking at a big sucker.
"Haha, well, Jiraiya-sensei is still very reliable."
Minato truly couldn't find anything to praise Jiraiya about, so he used the versatile compliment of "reliable" to make up for it.
In the end, the two master and disciple pooled their money and finally paid for the meal, which saved Jiraiya from having to stay and wash dishes or run a tab.
Otherwise, tomorrow, it would probably be known throughout Konoha that Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, ate on credit.
"Everyone, Kushina is still waiting for me for dinner. I'll take my leave now."
Minato squeezed his thoroughly shrunken wallet, deciding to take on a few higher-ranked missions in the coming days. Money was a bit tight; having a girlfriend was expensive, and having to help out his teacher made it even more so.
"Thanks to you, Minato. Sensei will pay you back when his manuscript fees come in next month."
Jiraiya was quite confident, believing that his "Tale of the Gutsy Ninja" would definitely become a phenomenal work, and he himself would become a famous author.
Minato thought about Jiraiya-sensei's work, but he couldn't bear to interrupt his teacher's fantasy, so he left with a Flying Thunder God.
"Sannin-senpai, thank you for the treat. I'll be taking my leave."
Ling, having enjoyed a free, satisfying meal, was in quite a good mood. There was nothing more joyful than getting something for free.
"Heh heh, I hope you'll become stronger next time we meet." Orochimaru extended his tongue and licked his chin.
"Hmm, brat, don't disgrace the name of Super Strength."
Although Tsunade was tipsy, she still showed some concern for this one-quarter clan member of hers.
"Brat, if you eat this much again next time, I'll mortgage you."
Jiraiya was quite annoyed, but he could only resort to verbal jabs.
"Bang~!"
"Jiraiya, you have a problem with me eating so much? Are you going to mortgage me too?"
Tsunade's loving iron fist once again caused Jiraiya to freeze, but upon hearing Tsunade's words, he immediately apologized.
At Minato's house, Kushina noticed Minato's return, mainly because she had been watching the Flying Thunder God Kunai left in place.
"Minato, what happened to that old pervert?"
"Uh, well, nothing, he just didn't have enough money when treating people to a meal."
Minato was too embarrassed and didn't know how to cover for his teacher.
"Hahahahaha, that old pervert got his comeuppance today! Uh, Minato, you didn't go to send him money, did you?"
The carefree Kushina then realized what the communication toad meant by saying to bring money.
"Uh, well, sensei encountered Tsunade-senpai and Ling, who were going all out, so it went a bit over budget."
Minato felt it was all his fault for not explaining Ling's appetite to his teacher, which led to such a predicament.
"Oh, heh heh heh, I see. Next time, I'll take Tsunade-jie jie and Ling and make that old pervert treat us. We'll definitely eat him out of house and home."
Kushina let out the exclusive laugh of a fairy, leaving Minato speechless and only able to silently pray for his teacher.